Celebrating Eid-ul-Adha

Today, the festival, Eid-ul-Adha, will be celebrated throughout the UT. It is one of the most celebrated festivals in Jammu and Kashmir as thousands of people offer sacrifice on this revered day. On this day people perform their religious duties, which include the special prayers (Eid prayers) in which a large number of people participate with religious fervor. Leaving aside the feasts and fiestas, the day is also meant to bring peace and conciliation. Rich traditions associated with the day no doubt heighten the sense of belongingness and community feelings. People and families separated by daily occupations get an occasion to sit together and share some moments. On the auspicious day, we put on our best clothes and offer congregational Eid prayers. We exchange Eid greetings with our friends, relatives and neighbors. We relish the different delicacies prepared especially for the happy occasion. However, amid the celebrations, we tend to miss the true spirit of Eid. While it is indeed a day of happiness it must also be a day of introspection for us. In many places the tradition of enquiring about neighbors and providing for weaker sections and destitute make this festival propitious. Eid as such is for entire community or society and not for an individual. While in most parts of world on festivals and community occasions it is common trend to offer rebates. As a goodwill measure and because of strong sense of community feelings, businessmen and traders on these occasions do not think about profits alone. The trend has a positive effect overall as people tend to spend and buy more. In many parts of India people sometimes wait for months for festival days to arrive and then go for shopping. Festivals are the times when people spend generously, however, that doesn’t mean they should be cheated.  But unfortunately in our UT we see festivals as the means to exploit commoners to the hilt. On the occasions like Eid, many shopkeepers try to earn huge profits by selling substandard essential commodities at exorbitant rates. Even daily commodities are sold at high prices. It is the job of the administration and market check squads to maintain the standards of quality, to ensure that the general people aren’t cheated and prevent adulteration of food items so that people are not exploited.  The occasions like Eid are rare; they are not moments to fleece people but to benefit them. The true spirit of Eid is to be mindful of those people who are less fortunate among us. We wish for an Eid-ul-Adha, one that brings peace and happiness to all of us.